New York power

Generates renewable electricity from sunlight, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 3,200 homes for a year.*

Air quality & health in Cortland County

Cortland County has a population of 45,752. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 9,243 cases in the county.

No ozone or particle pollution grades are available for this county in the most recent report. The figures above describe how many residents live with conditions sensitive to air quality — not measured pollution levels.

Long-term exposure to air pollution has been linked to certain health conditions, particularly for children and older adults. Where electricity comes from affects how much combustion pollution is produced on the grid.

These figures describe the county as a whole and are not specific to this facility. Sources: American Lung Association – State of the Air (New York); U.S. EPA Air Quality Index.

The story behind this New York renewable energy facility

Of the 567 solar plants in New York’s renewable and clean category, NY8 – Janis Solar in Willet ranks #11 by 2024 electricity produced. It sits along NY-221 in Cortland County, owned by MN8 Energy LLC and serving the NYSEG area. It began operating in 2023, using solar photovoltaic technology, which means panels that turn sunlight directly into electricity with no fuel burned.

Its capacity is 20.0 MW, a megawatt being a measure of the most power a plant can deliver at one moment; that is the size of the plant on a sunny day. Over 2024 it produced 32.2 gigawatt-hours, a gigawatt-hour being a large unit of electricity over time, enough to power about 3,200 homes.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 12,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year compared with producing the same electricity from the national mix of power sources — about the same as keeping about 4,800 tons of waste out of a landfill.*

Nearby places worth exploring

Cortland, home to SUNY Cortland, is the nearest well-known community in the county. Greek Peak ski resort lies to the south, and the Finger Lakes region begins just to the west.

Local school district

Cincinnatus Central School District

Common questions

* Homes-powered and emissions comparisons are annual estimates based on national averages from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. “Homes powered” describes a quantity of electricity, not direct service to specific households. How we calculate this.